On meeting with Oscar, Ophelia and Olaf, indeed the breeding program seems to have worked wonders. Saskia's Bengals are not only domesticated, they behave more like dogs than cats. Even with a perfect stranger, they seem to be happy enough to be picked up, cuddled and played with. They make the same cat meows and noises, with a distinctly louder purr, and they respond to stroking and hugs.
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| Bengal House Cat |
Oscar, the biggest of the three, is larger than my cocker spaniel Luckey, and as heavy. His coat is patterned with spots that look like they belong on a leopard, and he is friendlier than many dogs I know. The kitten Olaf, who is just 4 months old, lies happily cradled in my arms and when I try to let him go, he extends his claws as if to say "Not yet. Hug me some more."
This one has markedly rounded ears that look like they belong on a lion or a tiger, and darker spots than the big one Oscar. The third cat Ophelia is a little more aloof and also seems to be the most active. Her spots are rosettes rather than circles, where the darker outer ring of the spots encircle a smaller lighter colored ring, giving the coat a richer overall color.
These cats are lively and animated, and we have a hard time getting them to sit still to he photographed. But wait awhile and they quickly seek to re-establish a connection and jump up on the furniture to be part of the action. Olaf even obliges us and sits very still throughout our teatime conversation in a decorative porcelain bowl as if parading himself for the interview.
So are they wild at all? You would certainly expect a hybrid with a wild variety to demonstrate some wildness in temperament. But Saskia explains that, "No, as long as you get a fourth generation one, they are friendlier than house cats!"
The first generation (F1), where a Leopard Cat is bred to a domestic cat, produces a hybrid unsuitable to the home environment; these cats are usually kept in zoos or with professional breeders. A second generation known as F2 is a cross between an F1 and a domestic cat. An F3 has one domestic parent and one F2 parent. F4s are the only ones considered suitable for the amateur cat owner, with family and children in the household, and these are the ones I am meeting today.
"They need a lot of exercise though as they have a lot of energy," says Saskia, Her cats have their own maze of tunnels for them to explore daily, specially built for them of metal mesh, resembling a giant version of the hamster tunnels you can buy pick-and-mix style from the pet store.
So are Bengals good feng shui?
Just as the Shih Tzu (whose name means lion) was bred for the Imperial Palace of China for its resemblance to the lion, the Bengals today are bred for those looking to bring the magnificent tiger into the home.
In the Manchu Dynasty of China, the Shih Tzu became the temple dogs of the Palace while the favored ones became the personal pets of the Royal family as lap dogs or bed warmers, and because of their resemblance to the mighty lion and the belief that these dogs brought good fortune and good feng shui, the Dowager Empress Tzu-Hsi forbade anyone outside the palace to own one. Anyone in that period caught owning a lion dog was sentenced to death. After her death in 1911, the Shih Tzu breed became more widespread, and even exported to Western countries such as England and the Netherlands.
Today. the Bengal is enjoying the same kind of craze, filling the same kind of void for cat lovers that the Shih Tzu did for luck-hunting dog lovers. The Asian Leopard Cat and their hybrid Bengal variety have been nicknamed the "Money Cat" because their spots resemble the ancient Chinese coin, round with a hole in the middle. The stripes down their legs and the mascara markings near their eyes give them a resemblance to the mighty Tiger, which in feng shui symbolism represents courage, power and daring. The Tiger to the Chinese are revered as the creature that wards off evil and prevents disasters from befalling a household.
A Tiger painting is often hung on the wall facing the entrance to scare away demons that happen to stray near the home or building. The Tiger is also often associated with the popular God of Wealth, Tsai Shen Yeh, depicted in art pieces riding a Tiger.
In the coming year, the Tiger features again in the years Paht Chee chart, as it has done so for the past two years since the 2010 Tiger Year. Some practitioners believe that having your own pet Tiger in the home brings the Tiger onto your side, thus turning any danger brought by this fearsome creature into opportunity for the inhabitants. Indeed, many powerful Asian amulets and charms feature the Tiger, especially amulets for protection or amulets to help you capture your heart's desire.
From the more "New Age" modern approach to feng shui, having lively pets in the home is believed to balance out energies that are overly yin, giving the home an infusion of yang chi. Pets are therefore encouraged, especial for families who spend a lot of time outside the home - for instance when both husband and wife are at work all day. Having a dog or a cat patrol the house while you are out prevents energies in the home from becoming stale, and are thus encouraged from a feng shui viewpoint.
The Bengal makes a fabulous option if you are looking for a companion pet that will interact with you like a dog, but is independent enough to look after itself when you don't have the time to play. They bound and pounce, but their agility and litheness also make them less of a damage risk in households with expensive porcelain and decorative that wouldn't withstand the boisterousness of the golden retriever for example. Oscar, Ophelia and Olaf certainly endeared themselves to me and l am oh so tempted to go invest in one of these fabulously beautiful hybrids. But am unsure they would survive my household already filled with canines. Wild as they may look, they really are pussycats. To find out more, you can check out Bengal House Cat.